Question about reactions to ep 6

[sumeragiskank.livejournal.com]

I seriously loved this episode and all of the great Lloyd and Suzaku moments in it. But I'm kinda scratching my head after reading some reactions to it that make no sense to me. I've not been very involved in Geass fandom and am rather shocked at some of the prevailing attitudes ^^;;;



I'm rather confused as to why everyone thinks Nunally has been brainwashed by Suzaku. After all, he's not the one who actually uses an evil brainwashing power to murder people. That's Lelouch. He's never used someone important to him as a political tool. Again, that's Lelouch. And if you want to argue that he used Lelouch, I think he had more than enough right to do so after Lelouch murdered Euphie and completely fucked over his country and plans for peace.

I'm glad to see Nunally taking some initiative and for them to develop her character more. I also am eagerly awaiting to see her reaction to learning Lelouch is Zero. I was glad she told him he was wrong. Because he is. And I do not think that, even as much as she loves her brother, she is going to take very kindly to the knowledge that he has been murdering people left and right and committing all sorts of atrocities all in her name. She'll likely be horrified and so far, no Britannian telling her has been a mercy. Lelouch has made this bed for himself and he seems awfully upset that now he has to lie in it. Poor baby. This is me feeling completely not sorry for him.

I like Lelouch as a character, but I hold no illusions that he's a nice person in the least. He puts selfish goals ahead of the plight of an entire nation of downtrodden people, nevermind lying to, manipulating, and using people who honestly care for him. Along with murdering family members and innocent people in cold blood and all of that. I don't think the ends ever justify the means, and while he had good intentions at some point - is he now going to fuck over Nunally for his own goals and ego or will he let her lead her own life - I think Lelouch's pretty far along on his trip to hell. I jiust don't understand why everything Suzaku does wrong is picked apart and held against him while Lelouch's various crimes, which are a much much much much longer list, are immediately forgiven. I understand that he's the main character and all, but I just can't give him that leeway and have to hold him to the same standards as every other character.

Comments

[mikoto-chan13.livejournal.com]

Sorry to interrupt, but I don't think you're quite right. I agree that our world is also full of war (and I wouldn't leave out the US, considering they're actually leading war right now...), but the situation still seems different from the Code Geass world where one single megalomaniac country endeavors to conquer all the world (and seems pretty successful in it). I think that the atmosphere must feel pretty Nazi in Japan (and the whole world). My own homeland (former Czechoslovakia) was turned into a protectorate during World War II, so the situation of people here must have felt pretty similar, and I fairly doubt they would be comfortable with a Czech infiltrating Nazis, becoming honorable German and trying to change the Third Reich from inside (while helping them in their battles!). Actually I'd say that pretty much everyone would agree that the right thing to do would be destroying the Third Reich, no matter the means. This is the first time I've come with this idea, so I'm sorry it's not thought-out precisely, but I neither think that Euphie's idea would please them this much, because they would be STILL occupied, while the thing they want is freedom and most likely, let's face it, revenge (whether it's right or wrong).

[rkold.livejournal.com]

Yes, the US is currently at war and has been for several years now, but I assumed the original respondent was considering that as the only war currently taking place and disregarding all the other armed "conflicts" elsewhere in the world, when talking about our own world's relative stability. I'm sure if one lived in Chechyna, one would not feel the world was terribly stable.

I am not really sure the comparison with Nazi Germany is an apt one. We've not really seen the Britannians actively at war with either the EU or China and it doesn't seem like Britannia is trying to make a grab at world domination. Sadly, I think a better comparison would be the US involvement in the Middle East in our desire to control the oil fields there. There might be the occasional skirmishes with China and the EU but there is not outright war. (or else there would be no Chinese delegation in Area 11 right now) Though I admit now, I always thought Ougi was trying to draw a similar comparison as the one you made.

Again, it's very hard to speculate about this because the trajectory of the Nazis in Europe was very different than that of Britannians in Japan/their world. I want to say Czechoslovakia was swallowed in 1938 and by 1939 Nazi Germany was invading Poland and soon making a grab for the rest of the continent. Between 1939-1945 Germany was at constant war until it was defeated.

Britannia has been ruling Japan in relative "peace" for a good 7-8 years now (depending on season) so it's not really quite the same thing.

Within Geass, a lot of people in Japan seemed interested in Euphie's idea, including Ougi. He thought it had a chance and wanted to try to work it a possibility as well.